PACIFIC TREATY.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1921, Page 5

PACIFIC TREATY.

BRITAIN AND JAPAN. JAPANESE VIEWS. OPPOSITION UNCALLED FOR. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Tokio, July 9. Viscount Kato, in a speech before the Kenseijai Party, of which he is leader, said he was not surprised that some should urge the abrogation of the AngloJapanese Alliance, since the measure was originally intended against Russia and Germany, and that necessity had disappeared. The abrogation might not affect the friendly relations of the two countries, but might make people think something was wanting. Britain might find it neeessaiy to increase her naval strength in the Pacific if the alliance was discontinued. Japan would then also be compelled to increase her naval strength. He added: “It appears that opposition has been raised in China and the United States, but it seems uncalled for. I am in a position to state, As one of the negotiators of the alliance, that the third party mentioned therein clearly implied the United States. Sir Edward Grey insisted that the United States should be mentioned. 1 took the same view, but the Foreign Department did not like the idea, and Sir Edward Grey ultimately yielded. “There is no provision in the alliance conflicting with the Anglo-American arbitration treaty. China may object to the use of the word China in the alii- j ance. It might therefore be altered to the Far East. The alliance contains nothing inimical to China’s sovereignty. It is deplorable that the Japanese Government is adopting a policy of extreme secrecy in dealing with the alliance, thereby causing a crop of unfounded rumors.” Viscount Kato concluded that it was clear the alliance continued automatically until abrogated. He urged a renewal with modifications calculated to reassure China and harmonising with the League of Nations.